A GIRL will be celebrating her 10th birthday by having 14 inches of her hair cut off to raise money to help families with ill children at Basildon Hospital.

Sienna Walters, from Langdon Hills, Basildon, is raising money for Polly's Pad, a three-bedroom bungalow funded by the hospital's Polly Parrot Appeal. It's an important service that helps more than 300 families a year who have children being treated at Basildon Hospital, giving them a place to stay and be near their children whilst they are receiving care.

It's a free service for those families that use it, but costs £15,000 a year to run, with costs supported by donations from the community.

Sienna said: "I want to make people happier and help keep families together when one of their children is in hospital."

Clair Grayston, community fundraising manager for Mid and South Essex Hospitals Charity, was thrilled to hear about Sienna's fundraising. "The families who use this bungalow, whether it be for a day-time escape and freshen up or staying overnight, are people whose children have to stay in hospital for a longer period of time. So raising money to keep it running makes a huge difference to the families who benefit from using it."

Sienna, a student at Orsett School, will also be donating her cut hair to The Little Princess Trust where it will be transformed into a hairpiece to help other children cope with their own hair loss, often caused by illness.

Mum Claire said: "We're lucky to have happy and healthy children, but we know this shouldn't be taken for granted. Sienna wants to help those who aren't as fortunate as her and this is her way of doing that."

You can donate to Sienna's fundraiser here.